Download English - Global Environment Facility

Country Support Programme
COUNTRY LEVEL
COORDINATION ACTIVITIES
IN IRAN
Sub-regional Workshop for GEF Focal Points
North Africa, Middle East, South & West Asia
Bali, Indonesia, 2-3 December 2007
Overview of Iran’s
Environment Coordination System
Supreme Council
of Environment
National
Committee
on Sustainable
Development
National
Committee
on
Climate
Change
National
Committee
on Stockholm
Convention
National
Commission
on Bio-diversity/
Biosafety
National
Committee
on International
Waters
National
Committee
of Combating
Desertification
National
Committee
on GEF
Iran’s Focal Points for
GEF related global conventions
Climate Change Convention
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Stockholm Convention
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Bio-diversity/Bio-safety
Convention
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Combating
Desertification
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Iran’s other Focal Points
International
Waters
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Global Environment
Facility
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Operational
Political
Role of Ministry of Foreign Affairs
 The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been
designated as the official Focal Point for the GEF
related global conventions
 It cooperates on technical and operational aspects
with other relevant Ministries and Organizations
 These Ministries and Organizations, according to
their specific mandate, have been declared to the
relevant Convention Secretariats as the
Competent National Authorities
Iran’s Competent National Authorities
 Biodiversity: Department of Environment (DOE)
 Climate Change:
1- Enabling Activities Project (DOE)
2- CDM Designated National Authority (DOE)
 Desertification & Land Degradation (Forest, Rangeland and
Watershed Organization of Ministry of Agricultural Jihad)
1- Department for Deserts and Arid Lands (FRWO)
2- Department Forests (FRWO)
 Stockholm Convention: Department of Environment (DOE)
 International Waters: Ministry of Energy (MOE)
 Ozone Layer (Montreal Protocol): (DOE)
Iran’s National Committee
on Sustainable Development
 National Committee on Sustainable Development
(NCSD) - determines the policies and objectives of the
various national sub-committees
 It also assigns the sub-committees with special tasks on
important issues, as necessary.
 All national sub-committees including the GEF National
Sub-Committee should periodically report back to the
NCSD.
Iran’s GEF Coordination System
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
GEF National Sub-Committee
GEF/SGP Steering Committee
Department for
International Economic Affairs
UNDP office-Tehran as National
Coordinator of GEF/SGP in Iran
Functions of Iran’s
GEF National Sub-Committee
 The GEF National Sub-Committee along with other committees
regularly hold sessions to discuss their program of work and the
latest relevant developments.
 The National GEF Sub-Committee holds 3 to 4 sessions a year, in
order to:
• refresh and update its work program
• get familiar with the latest GEF developments
• build the necessary capacity for project concepts preparation
• hear the progress report of the national GEF project directors
• determine the limitations and obstacles in implementation of
the projects
• decide upon and coordinate the steps to be taken during each
GEF replenishment period
• request all ministries and organizations to be actively involved
in submission of new project concepts for GEF-4
Members of Iran’s
GEF National Sub-Committee
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Air Quality Control Company
Department of Environment
Environment NGOs Network
Fisheries Organization
Forest and Rangeland Organization
Management and Planning Organization
Meteorological Organization
Ministry of Agricultural Jihad
Ministry of Finance
Ministry of Energy
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Health
Ministry of Science and Higher Education
Ministry of Industries and Mines
Ministry of Petroleum
Shipping and harbor organization
Tehran University: Environment Branch
Waste Recycling Organization
Coordination on GEF/SGP-Iran
 SGP-Iran has been very active and recognized as very successful
by UNDP/GEF;
 During SGP’s Operational Phase 1 and 2, it has absorbed about
US$ 2 Million;
 In GEF-4, Iran has agreed to allocate US$ 1.6 million of its allocation
under the RAF for SGP;
 The graduation system adopted by the GEF is regarded as a major
threat to the achievements of the SGP-Iran, due to the cut in
financing for SGP projects and disruption of the existing activities;
 Linking SGP activities/projects to the priorities and similar activities
of domestic ministries/organizations could be regarded as a solution
to the issue of up-scaling the SGP projects as well as financing its
activities in the long run, in Iran
Members of the
National GEF/SGP Steering Committee
 Department of Environment
 Local communities:
 Caspian
 Zagros
 Persian Gulf
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Management and Planning Organization
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Academic institutions: Tehran University
GEF/SGP National Coordinator in Iran
Activities of Iran’s
GEF Operational Focal Point
 The GEF Operational Focal Point (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) held
several rounds of bilateral consultation/discussion with various
ministries and organizations to:
• identify the areas of interest for possible cooperation with the
GEF
• assist in preparation of new project concepts for GEF-4
Weaknesses of the Existing
GEF Coordination System
* The existing monitoring and reporting system between the said national
sub-committees (including that of the GEF and the NCSD) does not
function properly;
* Although, the national sub-committees including the GEF/NSC should
periodically report back to the National Committee on Sustainable
Development, in practice, both sides have not been able to stick to their
tasks efficiently so far;
* The interaction between the GEF National Sub-Committee and the
GEF/SGP Steering Committee has improved considerably but up-scaling
of the SGP projects to larger GEF projects is still at very low level;
* Due to the lack of expertise as well as particular financial/human resources,
some of the ministries and organizations have not been able to engage
proactively in national GEF related activities;
* The complexity of the rules and strategies of the GEF and its ongoing
developments during recent years have deterred an effective and timely
response by Iranian ministries on cooperation.
What can be done to enhance the existing
coordination system?
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All National GEF Project Directors should report to the National GEF SubCommittee meetings on their achievements, possible obstacles and the
necessary steps to be taken, on a regular basis;
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Implementation of each GEF project should be reviewed annually by a tripartite review team consisting of the representatives of the GEF
Implementing Agencies (UNDP, UNEP, WB), MFA and the national
Executing Agency;
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The NCSD should invite the National GEF Sub-Committee to report on its
activities twice a year.
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The NCSD should annually request the National GEF Sub-Committee to
present a progress report for consideration of the Supreme Council of
Environment.
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The lessons learned during the past years imply that the best way to
convince the domestic ministries/organizations for cooperation with the
GEF and project preparation is through mutual channels and not through
the GEF Sub-committee.